Conserving Water Outdoors

Since outdoor water use from irrigation (sprinkler) systems account for as much as 60% of the City summer water usage, it is important to use outdoor water as efficiently as possible and reduce waste. Want to know more about your irrigation system? Watch Simple Home Repairs.

Your sprinkler system uses more water than you think. Use this handout to figure out how much. Remember, this is how many gallons you may be using on one run time. If you are running your sprinkler twice per week, you may be using 8 times this amount in a month. Normal utility billing cycles are 30 days. Check the current utility rates to calculate what your bill may be.

As seasons change, so should your irrigation controller! During the fall, winter and spring, the landscape does not need as much water as it does during the summer growing months, so make sure to adjust the program on the irrigation controller each season. When temperatures warm, water loss due to evaporation from sprinkler systems can be significant. Therefore, watering with sprinklers is prohibited between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. April 1 - October 31 each year. Always use your system in regulation with the water restrictions. The Conservation Made Easy video was made for the North Texas area. It has irrigation tips for simple repairs, cycle and soak watering, seasonal adjustments, and more. Do you just need to fix a broken sprinkler head? Watch this.

When you do use your irrigation system make sure you are watering the correct amount needed in each zone by physically testing each zone, doing a little math, and scheduling the controller with the proper amount of time. The linked brochure can help you in determining the correct amount of time your system should have on each zone, or stop by City Hall and pick up a copy of the brochure. The video below will help to explain this. The City of Plano has developed an irrigation module which will interactively demonstrate the cycle and soak procedure, as well as teach residents how to identify and fix common issues with your sprinkler system. The Texas AgriLife Extension has a brochure about the cycle and soak method, as well as some quick tips to help keep your yard alive without wasting water, along with EPA's WaterSense Smart Outdoor Practices

More than 50% of a homeowner’s water bill may consist of lawn and landscape watering. This watering usually accounts for the most water waste! Here are useful tips to produce substantial savings in your water bill: